Siphon apparatus



Dec. 19, E939. K. s. SMITH ET AL SIPHON APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1937VENIORS:

BY Mf ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES SIPHON APPARATUS Kenneth StuartSmith,

Wealdstone, Harrow, and

Ernest Victor Casburn, Hitchin, England, assignors to Eastman KodakCompany, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April17, 1937, Serial No. 137,482 In Great Britain June 16, 1936 Claims.

This invention relates to a siphon apparatus wherein a siphon action isset up in a main siphon tube through the medium of the discharge of anauxiliary self-starting siphon which is connected to the main siphontube.

The prior art shows many different forms of self-starting siphonsincluding some which depend on air pressure, and some which depend uponcapillary attraction, but in each case the principle involved so limitsthe size of the tube that can be used for satisfactory operation, thatsiphons of this type have not been practical for commercial use due tothe limited volume of fluid which could be siphoned thereby.

One form of self-starting siphon of the air pressure type is knownwherein the lower end of one limb passes through and extends below anair chamber having one or more small inlets providedin the bottom wallthereof. A small outlet is provided in the limb near the upper end ofthe interior of said chamber so that when said limb is immersed in aliquid to be discharged from a vessel, the liquid rapidly rises in thelimb and more slowly enters the surrounding air chamber through theinlets therein with the result that the air is compressed in the chamberand forced through the small opening into the associated limb where itgradually forces the liquid up the immerse tube into the outer limb thusstarting the siphon.

This construction of siphon while having the advantage of beingself-starting upon being plunged into the liquid to be siphoned has thedisadvantage that it can be only used to produce a small siphon stream,since if the cross-sectional area exceeds a certain limit no siphonaction can be initiated as the air forced into the immersed limb bubblesthrough the liquid therein and breaks through the meniscus.

One object of the present invention is to combine a self-starting siphonas above referred to as an auxiliary siphon for initiating the action ofa main siphon in order to permit the rapid discharge of a liquid from areceptacle. Another object is to combine an automatic self-startingsiphon with a .main siphon tube in such a way that the resulting siphonhas the appearance and handles like a single siphon unit. And stillanother object is to provide a siphon apparatus of the type referred towherein a siphon action can be automatically induced in a siphon tubehaving dimensions which make it practical commercially and in which thesiphon action is induced by merely plunging the intake limb thereof intothe vessel of liquid to be emptied.

Briefly, our invention consists of combining a self-starting siphon ofthe air pressure type, in which siphon action is initiatedby merelyimmersing the intake limb thereof into a vessel of liquid, with a mainsiphon tube of comparatively large diameter in such a way that thedischarging liquid from the self-starting siphon entrains air from themain siphon when the end of the latter is sealed, and thereby inducesthe siphon action in the main siphon tube.

The novel features that we consider characteristic of our invention areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The inventionitself, however, both as to its organization and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbest be understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing inwhich,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a preferred embodiment of the novelsiphon apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a modified form of the siphonapparatus, and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Like reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout thedrawing.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the preferred form of theapparatus is shown, the siphon apparatus comprises a main U-shapedsiphon tube of any rigid material, such as metal or glass, indicatedgenerally as S, and having an intake limb l, a discharge limb 8, and acurved inter-connecting portion 9 which serves to connect the two limbs.The intake limb 'l is placed in the tank to be emptied while thedischarge limb 8 is placed in the vessel into which the liquid is to besiphoned, being sealed when the siphon is started; and as illustratedthe end of each tube can be provided with a length of flexible tubing Tto lend some flexibility to the siphon apparatus.

A self-starting siphon of the air pressure type above referred to,comprises a U-shaped tube of small bore having an intake limb ill and adischarge limb I. An air chamber I 2 is fixed to the intake limb If] ofthe self-starting siphon in such a Way that it surrounds said intakelimb I0 and is located near the lower end thereof for the purposehereinafter described. The lower end of the air chamber is provided witha plurality of inlets 13, see Fig. 2, and the upper end of the airchamber communicates with the interior of the intake limb it of theauxiliary siphon through a small opening M in said intake limb.

The self-starting siphon is accommodated within the main siphon tube S,as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and is so fixed therein, in anysuitable manner, that the end of its intake limb I 0 extends to the endof the intake limb 1 of the main siphon tube, and the end of thedischarge limb I l extends through the wall of the discharge limb 8 ofthe main siphon S to discharge outside thereof. In order to accommodatethe air chamber 52 which is of a substantially greater diamlustration Ihave shown an enlarged collar 'I' fitted into the end of theinter-connecting portion 9, and the intake limb l threaded thereon.'

In order to render the self-starting siphon as an auxiliary for inducingthe siphon action in the main siphon, the discharge limb M thereof isprovided with an open ended tube 55 of small bore which extends upwardlyinto the inter-connectingportion 9 of the main siphon tube, and throughwhich air is removed from the main siphon tube by a suction action, aswill be described hereinafter. The free end of tube i5 is bent towardthe outer part of the inter-connecting portion 9, and terminates justshort of the wall thereof at a position about midway between thecommencement and the highest part of the curve'oi the'intor-connectingportion in order topermit the main siphon stream to be induced. A bendi3 is provided in the discharge limb i i of theself-starting siphonbelow the position at which the tube 55 is connected thereto, this bendbeing provided to obviate air locks, and thereby maintain the sucionaction through the tube E5.

The siphon apparatus operates in the following manner: The intake limb iof the main siphon tube S is plunged into a liquid to be siphoned to adepth at which the end of the intake limb is of the self-starting siphonand the air chamber l2 surrounding it are partially or wholly immersed,and the discharge limb 8 of the main siphon is provided with a liquidseal. The liquid rises rapidly in the intake limb it of the selfstartingsiphon, and more slowly enters the air chamber [2 through the inlet istherein with the result that the air is compressed in the top of the airchamber. The compressed air in the top of the chamber is forced throughthe small opening M into the intake limb iii of the self-starting siphonwhere it gradually forces the liquid up the immersed limb l and into thedischarge limb l 5 thus starting the auxiliary siphon. Self-startingsiphons of the air pressure type are limited to tubes of small crosssections and are, therefore, impractical commercially due to the factthat if the cross-sectional area exceeds a certain limit no siphonaction can be initiated, because the air forced into the immersed intakelimb l6 bubbles through the liquid therein and breaks through themeniscus. It will be understood that the cross section allowable inthese self-starting siphons will vary between small limits dependingupon '16 viscosity of the liquid to be siphoned which give differentdegrees of surface tension, but in no case can a cross section be usedin a selfstarting tube which would make the siphon practical from thestandpoint of volume handled per unit of time. During discharge of theliquid through the discharge limb it of the self-start ing siphon, airis withdrawn gradually by suction from the main siphon through the smallbore tube I5. The withdrawn air is prevented from being replaced sincethe end or the discharge limb 8 is provided with a liquid seal, andeventually the liquid rises in both limbs of the main siphon due to thereduction of air pressur therein. The liquid rises more rapidly,however, in the immersed intake limb l, and eventually passes theinter-connecting portion 9 and drops down the discharge limb thereuponinitiating the siphon ac tion in themain tube.

- In Figs. 3 and 4 a modified form of our novel siphon apparatus isshown, but the difference between this apparatus and the preferred formresides merely in the relative position of the auxiliary siphon and themain siphon, the parts and operation of the two forms being identical.In the modified form, the auxiliary siphon instead of being accommodatedwithin the main siphon tube is fixed to the outside thereof, and the airchamber l2 surrounds both the intake limb l' of the main siphon'and theintake limb Hi of the auxiliary siphon. Communication is providedbetween the top of the air chamber l2 and the intake limb of theauxiliary siphon through an opening I 4 in said intake limb, andopenings iii are provided in the bottom of the air chamber through whichthe liquid can pass into the chamber. Air is withdrawn from theinter-connecting portion 9 of the main siphon tube through a tube N3 ofsmall bore, which connects the discharge limb I I of the auxiliarysiphon with an outlet in the wall of the inter-connecting portion 9' ofthe main siphon tube. I

From the above description it will be readily understood that we havecombined a self-starting siphon of the air pressure type which is initself impractical for commercial purposes, with a main siphon tubewhich can handle a large enough 'volume of liquid to make it practical,in such a way that the resultant siphon apparatus constitutes aself-starting siphon which is practical commercially. The preferred formof our siphon apparatus is neat as well as simple, and provides apractical self-starting siphon apparatus which has the appearance of andhandles likeasingle siphon. The novel siphon apparatus provides acommercially practical siphon apparatus which is selfstarting uponplunging the intake limb thereof into a vessel containing a liquid to beemptied therefrom, and providing the discharge limb thereof with aliquid seal.

Although we have shown and described certain specific embodiments of ourinvention, we are fully aware that many modifications thereof arepossible. Our invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in sofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of theappended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we declare is new and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a siphon apparatus the combination with a portable main siphontube including an open ended intake limb which is adapted to be immersedin a liquid to be siphoned, an open ended discharge limb, aninterconnecting portion constituting with said limbs a vacuum space whensaid intake limb is immersed in a liquid to be siphoned and thedischarge limb is provided with a liquid seal, of an auxiliary automaticsiphon of the air pressure type connected to said main siphon tube to bemoved as a unit therewith and comprising a tube of small bore having anopen ended intake limb which is to be immersed in a liquid to besiphoned simultaneously with the intake limb of the main siphon tube andan open ended discharge limb, an elongated air chamber surrounding theintake limb of the auxiliary siphon and adapted to be immersed therewithinto a liquid to be siphoned, said air chamber having openings in itslower end through which the liquid may enter the chamber upon immersion,the upper end of said chamber communicating with the interior of theintake limb of the auxiliary siphon through an opening in the intakelimb and through which compressed air may enter the auxiliary siphon andinduce a siphon action therein automatically, and a tube connecting thedischarge limb of the auxiliary siphon with the vacuum space in the mainsiphon tube whereby the air is drawn out of the vacuum space by thedischarging liquid in the auxiliary siphon to induce a siphon action inthe main siphon.

2. In a siphon apparatus the combination with a main siphon tubeincluding an open ended intake limb which is adapted to be immersed in aliquid to be siphoned, an open ended discharge limb, an interconnectingportion constituting with said limbs a vacuum space when said intakelimb is immersed in a liquid to be siphoned and the discharge limb isprovided with a liquid seal, of an auxiliary automatic siphon of the airpressure type wholly contained within said main siphon, said auxiliarysiphon comprising a tube of small bore having an open ended intake limbsituated within the intake limb of the main siphon to be immersedtherewith, an open ended discharge limb wholly contained within thedischarge limb with the exception of its extreme end which extendsoutside thereof, an elongated air chamber surrounding the intake limb ofthe auxiliary siphon and having openings in its bottom wall throughwhich a liquid to be siphoned will enter the chamber to compress the airtherein when the intake limb of the siphon is immersed therein, theintake limb of said auxiliary siphon having an opening communicatingwith the upper end of the air chamber through which the compressed airmay pass from the chamber to the auxiliary siphon to automaticallyinduce a siphon action therein, and a tube extending from the dischargelimb of the auxiliary siphon into the vacuum space of the main siphontube. whereby the air can be evacuated from the vacuum space by thedischarging liquid of the auxiliary siphon to automatically induce asiphon action in the main siphon.

3. In a siphon apparatus the combination with a main siphon tubeincluding an open ended intake limb which is adapted to be immersed in aliquid to be siphoned, an open ended discharge limb, an interconnectingportion constituting with said limbs a vacuum space when said intakelimb is immersed in a liquid to be siphoned and the discharge limb isprovided with a liquid seal, of an auxiliary automatic siphon of the airpressure type wholly contained within said main siphon, said auxiliarysiphon comprising a tube of small bore having an open ended intake limbsituated within the intake limb of the main siphon to be immersedtherewith, an open ended discharge limb wholly contained within thedischarge limb with the exception of its extreme end which extendsoutside thereof, an elongated air chamber surrounding the intake limb ofthe auxiliary siphon and having openings in its bottom wall throughwhich a liquid to be siphoned will enter the chamber to compress the airtherein when the intake limb of the siphon is immersed therein, theintake limb of said auxiliary siphon having an opening communicatingwith the upper end of the air chamber through which the compressed airmay pass from the chamber to the auxiliary siphon to automaticallyinduce siphon action therein, a tube extending from the discharge limbof the auxiliary siphon into the vacuum space of the main siphon tubewhereby the air can be evacuated from the vacuum space by thedischarging liquid, the discharge limb of the auxiliary siphon having abend beyond said tube for obviating air locks therein.

4. In a siphon apparatus the combination with a main siphon tubeincluding an open ended intake limb which is adapted to be immersed in aliquid to be siphoned, an open ended discharge limb, an interconnectingportion constituting with said limbs a vacuum space when said intakelimb is immersed in a liquid to be siphoned and the discharge limb isprovided with a liquid seal, of an auxiliary automatic siphon of the airpressure type and comprising a tube of small bore and having an openended intake limb, an open ended discharge limb, said auxiliary siphonbeing situated relative the main siphon so that their respective intakelimbs are side by side so as to be immersed simultaneously into a liquidto be siphoned, an elongated air chamber surrounding the intake limbs ofthe auxiliary and main siphon and located near the ends thereof to beimmersed simultaneously with said limbs, said air chamber havingopenings in its bottom wall through which liquid may pass to compressthe air in said chamher, the intake of the limb of the auxiliary siphonhaving an opening near the top of the air chamber through whichcompressed air from the chamber may pass to induce a siphon action inthe auxiliary siphon, and a tube connecting an out let in theinterconnecting portion of the main siphon whereby the air can beevacuated from the main siphon tube by the discharging liquid of theauxiliary siphon to automatically induce a siphon action in the mainsiphon.

5. In a siphon apparatus the combination with a main siphon tubeincluding an open ended intake limb which is adapted to be immersed in aliquid to be siphoned, an open ended discharge limb, an interconnectingportion constituting with said limbs a vacuum space when said intakelimb is immersed in a liquid to be siphoned and the discharge limb isprovided with a liquid seal, of an auxiliary automatic siphon of the airpressure type and comprising a tube of small bore and having an openended intake limb, an open ended discharge limb, said auxiliary siphonbeing situated relative the main siphon so that their respective intakelimbs are side by side so as to be immersed simultaneously into a liquidto be siphoned, an elongated air chamber surrounding the intake limbs ofthe auxiliary and main siphon and located near the ends thereof to beimmersed simultaneously with said limbs, said air chamber havingopenings in its bottom wall through which liquid may pass to compressthe air in said chamber, the intake limb of the auxiliary siphon havingan opening near the top of the air chamber through which compressed airfrom the chamber may pass to induce a siphon action in the auxiliarysiphon, a tube connecting an outlet in the discharge limb of theauxiliary siphon with an outlet in the interconnecting portion of themain siphon whereby the air can be evacuated from the main siphon tubeby the discharging liquid of the auxiliary siphon to automaticallyinduce a siphon action in the main siphon, the discharge limb of theauxiliary siphon having a bend beyond the tube connecting the twosiphons for obviating air locks therein.

KENNETH STUART SMITH. ERNEST VICTOR CASBURN.

